The day was split between two dominant narratives: the successful launch of India's first private orbital rocket, Vikram-1, and the forced hospitalization of activist Sonam Wangchuk on day 21 of his hunger strike. In the morning, Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 lifted off from Sriharikota after a brief hold, placing six payloads into low-Earth orbit. Editors framed this as a historic milestone for India's private space sector, with PM Modi congratulating the team. Simultaneously, Delhi Police removed Wangchuk from Jantar Mantar in a three-layer operation, transferring him to Safdarjung Hospital. His wife disputed the medical reports, and CJP founder Abhijit Dipke began an indefinite hunger strike in solidarity. Opposition leaders condemned the move, while doctors stated Wangchuk needed continuous observation. By afternoon, the Lok Sabha Speaker recognized six rebel Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs merging with Eknath Shinde's faction, weakening Uddhav Thackeray. The US-Iran conflict escalated further, with Iran striking US bases in Jordan, killing two service members, and targeting water infrastructure in Kuwait.